


To be a clown's assistant

by orphan_account



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Blood, Child Death, Eventual Romance, F/M, Gore, M/M, ehjdhj im no writer but uh??? enjoy??? i guess???, gender neutral reader, you're p much the grim reaper for kids lmao sorry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-19
Updated: 2017-10-23
Packaged: 2019-01-19 13:46:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,790
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12411459
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: You volunteered to work at a fair in a feeble attempt to make friends, but unfortunately you're led astray.Now you're juggling a normal job and another that determines whether you live or die at the hands of a clown, fun!/lmao never gonna finish this tho :>





	1. Red balloons and regrets

With a huff you adjusted your uncomfortable uniform. You’d come to Derry to find any sort of peace, maybe go out more, socialize! But unfortunately for you the residents didn’t exactly seem…trusting of outsiders.

So in a last ditch effort to make friends or acquaintances you’d offer your time to a small circus that the town had put up to amuse the children of Derry on chilly autumn nights. Currently you worked as the ticket boy! Yaaaay. Honestly you were hoping for something more….fun? If that’s the correct word.

A soft sigh left you as you slumped down in your seat; eyes already glazing over in boredom. There wasn’t anybody to talk to now, well other than you’re co-worker who seemed to detest your very existence. The field in front of your post was empty except for some parked cars and a…balloon? What?

You blinked and rubbed your eyes, it was still there. But how? Was there something holding it down? No, it was drifting towards you and it didn’t look as if it were going to float away. Weird to say the least. Under normal circumstances you would’ve simply ignored it and continued fiddling with your phone. But. The battery had died long ago and you were bored.

Against your better judgement you exited the booth and made your way to the balloon; oddly enough it seemed as if it were moving away from you. You followed it nonetheless. After all they wouldn’t mind if their ticket boy left for a while, right?

——————————

Who knows how much later, you stood in an empty clearing. The sounds of the fair having died just after you’d breached the tree line.

Then the balloon stopped about five feet away from you, for seemingly no reason. You stood in place, with bated breath waiting for something- anything to happen.

Then suddenly, it popped and you yelped falling backwards. The surrounding area and you were doused with some dark sickly sweet liquid; your stomach churn at the smell of rot, candy, and popcorn that now saturated the air. Gross.

“Well, what do we have here?”

Your head shot up, eyes locking with the figure that loomed ominously over you; just where the balloon had previously been. Its large frame silhouetted by the moon, shrouded its features in darkness.

The figure giggled in amusement and leant forward, “Awww, Y/n are you lost?”

You looked to the side and wiped off some of the gunk from your cheek, “No…?” But you most certainly were lost, you hadn’t a clue of where exactly you were; other than that you were in the middle of the woods at midnight with him. But it wasn’t like you were going to tell a total stranger that.

The tall figure only chuckled, golden eyes glowing bright in the darkness. You couldn’t tell who it was but your eyes were slowly adjusting to the lack of light and you paused to take in their features.

Your assailant wore a frilly white collar, a silk top- skirt? You were unsure but it had three large red pom poms, black and white boots and white gloves. Their skin was deathly pale, with clean crimson clown makeup. You would’ve been impressed if it wasn’t for the fact that you were terrified of them and your current situation. They had fiery orange hair that looked similar to cotton candy with how floofy and soft it appeared.

You licked your lips, “B-But who are you..?”

He giggled and spun, before giving a bow. “Why I’m Pennywise! Pennywise the dancing clown!”

You couldn’t help cracking a smile at this peculiar clown’s antics, “Well it’s nice to meet you Pennywise, but…I should uh- I’ve really got….to get going, you know?” You chuckled nervously and scuttled back, only to have the clown come closer.

He tutted, shaking his head and waggling a finger at you, “Ah, ah, ah! But the show’s only started Y/n! Besides! You came here yourself, right~?”

“Well, uh. I guess I did?”

Pennywise giggled again and offered you a hand, you gingerly took it. “So that means you must stay for the show!”

There was an awkward silence and then you realized he was expecting a reply, “O-oh! I guess…”

Sweat began forming on the nape of your neck as you avoided Pennywise’s gaze, you felt like a little injured bunny in front of a big hungry wolf. Being below average height and currently being unable to fight back with your stomach still reeling from the disgusting smell, you didn’t feel reassured of your safety in the slightest.

He sniffed the air and shook his head; drool dripping down his lips much to your disgust. “Ohhh!” He sniffed again and licked his lips, “Mhmmhm!” Okay now you were getting really nervous.

He lent forward and licked your cheek, “Tasty tasty!”

You jerked back and tried to tug away from his grasp, “H-Hey! Stop!”

Pennywise opened his mouth again and a long dark tendril slipped out and licked your cheek again; drool dribbling down and splattering against your cheek.

“Please… stop.” You whimpered, still continuing your fruitless attempts at escape.

Finally after what felt like hours he pulled back and giggled, your stomach churned at his laugh. God, what was this thing? No human had a tongue that long and nor did they have that many teeth. His- Its laugh didn’t even sound human either, it sounded like someone choking or on the verge of a panic attack, perhaps both? But that was the least of your worries now as he- no this thing unhinged its jaw.

“Wait! Please! I’ll do anything! Don’t kill me! Please! Please!” You cried, voice rising several octaves as you furiously tried tugging your hand away.

It paused, tilting its head to the side as if in thought before giggling again, “Wait! Please! Don’t kill meeee-! I’ll do anything! You humans really oughta come up with something more amusing to say! Do you have **any** idea of how boring it is to hear the same words over and over again?”

You wheezed, eyes feverishly scanning the tree line for any sort of help; any kind at all would do you nicely but there was none.

Maybe bargaining with it would push away your death date? Hopefully? Because you felt like if you were killed by this thing you’re body wouldn’t even qualify for a closed casket funeral, much less an open casket. Well, that’s if they even found your body in the first place.

But you didn’t have much time as its jaws descended on you again, “W-Wait! Please! Just listen to me for a second…..please?”

Pennywise quirked a brow and stopped, “Okay, but I don’t have much time. I’m a very busy clown with lots of children to catch, scare and devour you know.”

Wait. Catch? Could you? Perhaps…? No it was deeply immoral but it’d keep you alive.

You gathered what courage you had left and licked your lips, “Well Mr. Pennywise. You’re busy I can tell and….maybe I could help you? You know…. Lure them in? Bring you some raw meat if you want! I’ll do anything for you!”

“Well since your pathetic begging is unusually amusing. I think I’ll allow it. “ Pennywise finally eased its iron grip but paused holding up a finger, “But-! If you mess up. You’re going to be on the menu, understood?”

Heart still beating at 50 miles an hour you nodded, “Y-Yes Mr. Pennywise.”

It snorted and pulled away, “No need for formalities Y/n. Just call me Pennywise.”

“O-of course M- Pennywise.”

“Good, See you later then! Toodles~”

“Okay…Wait! How do you know my name?!” But Pennywise was already gone.

——————————

After getting lost several times and slipping other mud you’d finally found your way back to your booth, only to find a very angry co-worker there with a line of equally angry parents and loud children, “Y/n! Where have you been!?”

“O-Oh I was just-“

“Forget it! Just go to the back and make yourself useful or something.”

You tried to refute but you were already too drained to try and instead you walked back to the pitched tent for volunteers.

You were intending to make yourself “useful” but as soon as you reached your destination you collapsed in a seat and fell asleep. Not to be awakened until one of the park managers shook you awake at 8 am the next day.

——

“Hey, wake up!”

You jolted awake and rubbed your back; falling asleep in a metal fold able chair wasn’t the best place to fall asleep.

“Wuh-? Ah! Oh! I’m sorry!” You rambled quickly, wiping the sleep from your eyes.

They only sighed, shaking their head, “Don’t let it happen again, okay?”

“Y-Yes, I won’t!”

The manager nodded and promptly left, not before looking over their shoulder and speaking one last time, “Oh and you should be getting home by now.”

Then you were left alone in the tent, again.

After they left you checked your clothes only to find them a little muddy but no longer stained with that sickly sweet substance. Your arms weren’t marred either like you’d expected them to be and you slumped back in your seat with an exhausted albeit relieved sigh. It was all just….a bad dream.

A small giggle left your lips and you wiped away the clammy sweat from your forehead, it was all just a bad dream! No evil clown, no contract that you struck up to lead unsuspecting kids to their deaths and no bruises! You were safe.

That is until you noticed a red balloon bound to a broken down candy machine beside the tent flap. Your blood ran cold and you slowly stood and shambled over to the balloon. With shaky hands you moved the balloon from side to side, examining it.

There was something written on it that read, “Welcome to Derry!”

It wasn’t a dream, anything but. It was real. But what if it was it some sick prank? Yes, maybe, you hoped it was.

Another second passed before you noticed a small note tied to the balloon. You pulled it off you and opened it to barely legible handwriting scrawled on it in red pen.

“See you soon! –With love, your new pal Pennywise the Dancing Clown. P.S Meet me in the sewers for your first assignment today, I’ll be waiting. :)”

You dropped the note and sighed deeply, allowing it all to sink in.

You’d just made a deal with a murder clown thing and soon enough you’d have to meet up with it, alone. In the sewers and there wasn’t a thing you could do about it.

Why, why you?


	2. Oh, waiter!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pennywise gets its lunch and you feel as if you'll lose yours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote another chapter since it seemed like people wanted me to!  
> Honestly I don't know where the story will go but I'm looking forward to what you'll all have to say on it!

Warm wind brushed against you as you stood stock still in front of the sewer tunnel at the edge of town. You breathed in deeply but gagged at the disgusting smell coming from the tunnel.

Hands came up to tuck your button up shirt back into place and adjust the bag holding your disguise so the majority of its weight didn’t press your shoulders.  
One could say you were procrastinating to meet Pennywise, but who could blame you? You were likely walking your way to your death or an immoral position that sickened you to the core. You weren’t exactly “thrilled” with being around children but you didn’t hate them enough to actively try and hurt them in any way. You actually wanted to protect them, but it didn’t look like you had a choice now.

“Ugh, gross…”

Sadly, reminiscing over it wouldn’t get the job done. So you reluctantly entered the tunnel, grimacing at how damp and grimy it was. It smelt of rot, blood, and various other body fluids. Although you’d have to say you just simply loved what Pennywise had done with the place, it reflected its personality perfectly.  
But you had to find the clown, not insult it.

 

Fifteen minutes later you were a decent distance away from the entrance and still there was no sign of that weird “clown”.  
Another fifteen minutes pass and now you’d began to doubt that everything that’d transpired the night before was actually real and not some figment of your over-reactive imagination. It could’ve even been a particularly mean prank from children of Derry.  
The thought alone aggravated you. 

At least thirty minutes pass when finally you stop. Alone in the grimy tunnel you shut your eyes, grit your teeth and sighed. Trying oh so desperately to push down any anger you had but alas, you were much too tired.

“What a waste of time… **What an absolute waste of time!** ” Your words reverberated, almost like a mocking reminder and you growled in frustration. Feet promptly making contact with the disgusting floor again and again as if they were the things that led you here in the first place.  
Your feet and clothes were soggy, you probably smelt gross, and you’d almost tripped over some debris; not only once but twice. Most of all you felt like a fool, you had stuff to do! You were a mostly “responsible” adult! You had bills! Taxes! Rent! A car to pay for! And you didn’t have time to go searching for an imaginary monster in the **SEWERS.**

After you’d finished with your small tantrum you heard a familiar voice behind you.  
“Boo hoo! I’m an adult~! I’m an ungrateful snack who didn’t appreciate Mr. Pennywise sparing me, even if I didn’t deserve it!” Pennywise crowed, splashing about in the water and stamping its feet.

That sad imitation of a clown was mocking you. Okay fine, _fine_! **Sure!** But you didn’t doubt the fact that it was behind you the entire time, watching you. It’d probably snickered whenever you’d almost tripped over some debris. That thought alone infuriated you but for the sake of keeping your body intact you forced a grin and turned around to face it.

 

Only to find that Pennywise wasn’t there anymore. You blinked once- twice, but still the creature didn’t appear. Your eyelid twitched and you bit back scathing words. Honestly you were NOT in the mood to play hide and seek with some demon- monster- BEAST clown thing but if it wasn’t for the fear of what’d happen if you turned tail and disobeyed tugging on the collar of your shir- WAIT.

You swung around to come face to chest with Pennywise. OH. A strangled gasp left your lips, your feet slipping out from under you in their attempt to create some distance from this beast and you would’ve fallen in the gray water if it wasn’t for a large hand that grabbed you and hauled you back onto your feet.  
Flabbergasted you tried to open your mouth to thank it but recoiled in disgust when it grabbed you by your shoulders and pressed its nose against your cheek; sniffing loudly like a hound.

You gulped and gingery tried pushing it away, obviously that didn’t work and it continued giving you a one over with its nose.  
At least a minute passed before you began to feel a little uncomfortable and dare you say it just a little bit afraid, because having that creatures face near any parts of your body is a BIG no-no in your book.

“H-Hey, I’d really appreciate it if you weren’t sniffing me and probably uh tell me where I should go and all. Like that’d help me a lot since I want to get in and then get out and leave you to enjoy your “meal” and all so what I’m saying is that I’d really pretty please want you to sto-“

“No, shh!”

You froze, faling silent. Honestly what should you have expected from something like this? It’s proven itself to not be human so why would it bother to try and be polite? It probably saw you as nothing but a piece of meat that it’s saving for later.

Several minutes passed before Pennywise’s nose finally retreated from your neck, you released a relieved sigh that you didn’t know you’d been holding.  
Pennywise hummed and licked away the drool dribbling down its chin, “Mhm, tasty…” You blanched and nervously licked your lips, “Thank you….?” 

Awkward silence accompanied you again and you felt yourself shudder, either from the autumn breeze or being so close to an unnatural being. 

“You already know what you need to do. Drop by the playground or wherever before curfew and lead an unsuspecting snack to me, okay? Not any adults of course, they don't fill me for long and don’t taste as good.”

The way it talked so casually about snatching innocent children up was sickening in a way, almost like you were a waiter and it was an impatient customer. Maybe you should play along and buy a waiter’s costume, since that’s what you basically were to it now.  
But you were still reluctant to play along, despite your life being on the line.

You were rudely snapped out of your thoughts when it lent forward and whispered in your ear, “Why so glum y/n? You sound as if you don’t want to live! ”

“Wouldn’t dream of it!” You said, voice and hands shaking slightly and you promptly turned tail; not to run away per say but to get it over with.  
Only you were stopped by a clawed hand tugging on the back of your back pack, it was opened and Pennywise teasingly held your black plastic cat mask in your face.

“What’s this? What’s this? What’s this? What’s this right here?”

Was it making fun of you again? You couldn’t tell but just to be safe you replied, “It’s a mask..?” 

Pennywise gasped over-dramatically and pressed its nose against your face, “A mask! Oh my! A mask…? Ohhhh~!”  
Okay, it was mocking you, no surprise there.

“Why would you need a mask little one? Silly silly!”

“But someone could see me-“

“But someone could see meeee-!” 

You huffed in irritation,you just wanted to leave and get this over with but apparently the clown wanted to play. Fun times!

“I could so easily keep your identity safe. Are you so naïve to not know what I could do or did you just want to get in character?”

Just as you were about to reply it placed the mask back in your hands and mockingly kissed the back of your head, "I couldn't care less on what you want to do but rest assured I expect something to eat and chit chatting with you isn’t going to get it to me.” With that the clown disappeared, almost as if it hadn't existed in the first place.

Now you were alone again, alone to deal with what you were going to do.  
Well you supposed you should at least find somewhere that’s at least a little dry in the sewers to change into your costume.

 

You stood in the woods alone, breathe making the inside of your mask slick with precipitate. Sweaty hands hidden by black gloves held the bag of candy. Your black poncho fluttering in the wind. Oh how you hoped you wouldn’t find a child but as always, you weren’t so little. A little girl no older than 6 walked by you, unknowing of your presence as you were hidden by the trees. You tucked away all your distress and placed a mask of joy over your strained and mournful voice.  
The restaurant was open and you both were on the menu.

“Hello dearie! Would you like some candy?”

 

You sat on Pennywise’s stage trying to ignore the panicked screams and sobbing coming from the tunnel to your right, fear and pity settled in your gut as you felt her voice rise several octaves. You hadn’t even bothered to remember her name, you didn’t want to.  
You’d avoided looking at her face, so when you finally saw her “missing” poster plastered around town you wouldn’t feel so sick. Because that masked person with the pitched sing song voice wasn’t you. You weren’t the one who led these children to their deaths, it was the person whose eyes were shadowed by the cat mask they wore.

The girl gave one final scream before she was silenced with a sickeningly wet crunch, you winced but didn’t stop tracing your finger along the grooves of the wooden stage. The silence was quickly followed by what sounded like flesh being rend from bone, the image your mind gave you was far from pleasant. So you gingerly placed the cat mask back over your face, this was too much. You felt sick.

You were unsure of how long it took for Pennywise to return but you knew it had to have been at least a while. Because its costume and face were practically drenched with blood. Nonetheless you kept your head down, even when it threw the body up into the air and then sat beside you. The two of you sat in deathly silence, which was only interrupted by the faint jingle of bells, Pennywise humming as it licked its claws clean of blood and the faint drip drops of water hitting the sewer floor.  
It stayed that way until it spoke again.

“Hey I have to hand it to you, you’re a natural at this.” It cooed, licking off the blood from its fingers. You internally recoiled in disgust but nodded. You just wanted to go back home and forget about this entire fan fair until it was too lazy to hunt for itself and called you again, which you hoped was never.

It grabbed your hand and slid off the stage with the practiced elegance of a cat. The texture of its hand was _unnatural_ and you fought the urge to scream in disgust and tug your hand away. 

Pennywise patted your head almost patronizingly and smiled; small bits of flesh still stuck between its teeth. It took everything within you not to gag at the sight.

“Now run along little thing. I’ll keep you alive, for now.”

It hadn't needed to tell you twice since before it could even finish its sentence you were already off and out of the sewers. You didn’t stop until you were inside your house and only then did you stop, voice coming out in shallow gasps.

This was bad, this was bad, this was BAD. You were bad. No! No, you weren’t. It was just unfortunate circumstance that led you to do that! That’s all!  
But still even as you said it verbatim, guilt burnt hot and dangerous within your gut.

 

You slept restlessly that night, tossing and turning in place as one question seemed to ring in your mind, "What were you going to do?"

**Author's Note:**

> I might make a second chapter? Perhaps, who knows?


End file.
